Iga Swiatek is showing signs of resurgence. After a very inconsistent 2026 where, up to now, she has failed to meet expectations and was on the verge of exiting the Top 10, at the WTA 1000 in Canada she seems to have rediscovered her tennis and her most devastating version. In fact, she is already in the semifinals, where she will face Elina Svitolina, after overwhelming Diana Shnaider in the quarter-finals by 6-2, 6-1.
In this Canadian tournament, a calmer and more measured, yet equally incisive, version of the Polish player is being seen. Something she confirmed in the press conference after her victory, where she also expressed her love for hard courts and thanked the end of a very turbulent and pressure-filled clay and grass season.
Iga Swiatek spoke about her new calmer version and praised Francis Roig
«That calmness on the court was the goal since I started working with Francis, but it is true that this period of summer Grand Slams and the different tournaments I have played. You know, playing on clay with all the noise I usually have around on that surface sometimes doesn’t help. I didn’t have that mental clarity to keep doing the things he wanted me to do.»
«Here I feel like it has become more of a habit, something more natural. It is definitely the way I want to play, to have that patience. I feel that last year I sometimes played too flat and too fast, making risky decisions. This fits more with my game. What I’m trying to do now is more my style. The work we are doing with Francis Roig definitely helps, and I think the most stressful part of the season is already over.»
Swiatek explains the reasons that lead her to play longer rallies
«I just want to fight until the end on every point. There are matches where the opponent, for example, is attacking very quickly and you know it’s going to be a winner or an unforced error, that you’re not going to reach it and won’t be able to return the ball.»
«Today I felt I could do it. Sometimes, when I wasn’t so sure, I managed to anticipate. So sometimes it was luck and other times it was just fighting until the end. And in the end, that’s what made my game solid, that I could also win points from defense. I’m very happy about that.»
Swiatek points to the possible cause of her blooming in Toronto
«There isn’t one specific thing. Especially because the two opponents I faced were very different. But I do believe that perhaps against Marta I could clearly see what I was doing wrong, rather than getting stuck in the errors.»
BEAST MODE 💥@iga_swiatek | #NBO26 pic.twitter.com/ZY9ZOBdIBT
— wta (@WTA) August 11, 2026
«Today I just followed the plan. I was very focused. I think I am definitely more focused. I am able to follow the plan a little more easily because I feel good about the ball on my racket. It’s a nice tournament because there isn’t too much noise around, you can really concentrate on your work. I’m just enjoying it on the court.»
Despite the wind, Swiatek is happy with the conditions in Toronto
«The planes don’t matter. But yes, it is windy, especially in the afternoon-evening, and that makes it more complicated. I remember that when I played here in 2022 it was very windy. It’s something you have to be aware of.»
«Moreover, I think there is a difference between playing during the day and playing at night because of the heat, so you also have to adapt to that. But overall the conditions are very good. The court is, I would say, more normal than last year’s in Montreal, where it was super fast. This is a court where you can build points and play good rallies. The tournament is great. I love it.»
Iga Swiatek wanted to emphasize her love for hard courts but avoids labeling herself as a favorite
«I would love to be able to predict the future. It’s clear that the more matches I play, the more confidence I can gain. That would help, but you never know. The tour is long and intense. I’m trying to stay focused on myself, match by match.»
«I was very excited because I’ve never played on hard court with Francis before, so I wanted to see how it was going to work. I feel good on hard courts. I feel that I have won many tournaments on this surface. It’s not like clay, where I am so high in my ranking that it seems everything else is far below. I genuinely like playing on hard courts,» concluded a Iga Swiatek who wants to make a statement at this WTA 1000 in Canada.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Swiatek estrena su versión más paciente en Canadá: «Esta es la manera en la que quiero jugar»